Soba Noodle Bowls with Spinach and Poached Eggs

Is it spring yet?!

Where I live in the Northeast, the sun says it’s spring but the temperature outside says it’s anything but. We could still have a major snowstorm as late as April!

This noodle bowl is perfect for this in-between time. Poached eggs add a satisfying richness to the meal. They are also symbol of renewal, and right about now, I’m ready for one.

In case you haven’t discovered it yet, eggs can be poached in advance, drained, and then reheated just before serving. You can even do this up to five days in advance; just store the poached eggs, covered with water, in an sealed container in the fridge.

To warm, just gently drop the eggs back into a pot of hot water for a few seconds.

Making the eggs ahead takes away some of the stress of trying to make everything come together all at once. It also makes this noodle bowl even easier to make on a busy weeknight.

Additionally, try adding some white vinegar to the water when poaching your eggs. This doesn’t affect the flavor of the eggs, but the vinegar helps the proteins in the egg whites to set, giving you a firmer poached egg without as many of those wispy white bits.

Read More! Easy Poached Eggs

Earthy and nutty soba noodles are a staple of Japanese cuisine. They are made from buckwheat flour and can be found in most national supermarkets, as well as Asian markets.

If you have a choice in your selection of soba noodles, I recommend the darkest you can find. They have a I love the deep flavor that I love.

A touch of sesame — from both sesame seeds and some toasted toasted sesame oil — continue the earthy theme. So pull up a chair, slurp a comforting bowl of noodles, and repeat after me: spring is coming!

Soba Noodle Bowls with Spinach and Poached Eggs Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (plus more for garnish)
• Salt, to taste
• 4 large eggs
• 8 ounces soba (buckwheat) noodles
• 2 cups (3 ounces) packed fresh baby spinach leaves
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
• 4 teaspoons sesame seeds (for garnish)

Read More: Soba Noodle Bowls with Spinach and Poached Eggs